Dark Shadows
by ClaraSky
Summary: Eden is running away from her past and is looking for her endangered species. Then something unexpected happens that changes her journey, her views about the world, and her heart. This is a little story I made up. Hope you enjoy. Please Review. My second story I ever published.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I lay on the warm, soft grass. Summer breezes filled my lungs with sweetness. I watched as the leaves above me swayed softly underneath the sunlight's warm rays. A cool breeze played with my long, curly, brown hair. I heard bird's singing to each other like there was no tomorrow. I wished this moment lasted forever; I could forget my past, everything.

I ran away from home in Colorado a couple of months ago. I am only seventeen, but I just couldn't take my father anymore. My dad would come home every night very drunk and hit my mother and me. I still remember the pain he left on my cheeks and my stomach. My mother would try to protect me, but he would always leave a bruise on me. My mother died from cancer last year, and I missed her very much. She was the only reason I put up with my dad's brutal beatings. We didn't have a close relationship, but it was close to whatever love is. I don't know if love even exists because of how my dad treated me. I remember guys would ask me out on dates, but I wouldn't accept them. I was too scared, and I trust no one except myself.

I don't know why my father drinks. I don't know if he realizes he beats us when he is in one of his rages. I don't know if that's the animal side in him, but all I know is that it hurts. Most of my dreams are nightmares of my father beating me until my skin turns raw and bloody. I would sometimes wake up screaming as warm tears coursed down my cheek.

I am now in a national park; I don't know which one, but all I know is that it keeps me isolated from the world. I think I am on the border of Canada and the United States. I could live in the forest because of my animal that lurks within me. I also heard there were Shifters in these woods. I hope they're like me; white tigers. My species is on the brink of extinction, and I'm trying to find whose left. If some are here, I know I am different from any of them because I have the ability to heal people. I don't know how I got this extra power, but it comes in handy sometimes, especially after my father beats me and my mother. I never showed my dad my extra ability, only my mother. No one else knows about my special power.

I was wondering where I should camp for the night, when suddenly I heard some bushes rustle in front of me. I froze as I listened intently to the strange sounds coming my way. I heard whimpering and panting. I was about to shift when an injured black wolf limped into my view. I cocked my head to the side as the wolf gazed at me with painful blue eyes. As I gazed in them, I noticed green specks in them. They looked like the Atlantic Ocean on a bright, sunny day. I was considering if this was a Shifter when it collapsed in front of me.

I gasped, and I lurched forward to its aid. The wolf was badly injured. I saw multiple bite wounds and lacerations; some wounds were pretty deep too. The wolf gazed at me cautiously and stirred as I kneeled beside it. It whimpered as I examined the wounds. As I examined them, I noticed the wounds were slowly healing. I tilted my head to the side because my kind doesn't have the ability to heal. I concluded that it had to be a Shifter. I glanced at the wolf and it was gasping for air. Hmm, seems like the wounds are not healing fast enough for it. I felt my lips tighten into a hard line because I wasn't sure if I should go ahead and heal it. My stomach coiled painfully as I watched the beautiful Shifter struggle for air. I let out a heavy sigh as I placed my hands on its hindquarters. The wolf gave a low, weak growl.

"Do you want me to help you? Or would you rather bleed to death?" I whispered harshly.

I heard it give a weak snort, and then it closed its eyes. I had to act fast if I want to help it. I felt warmth surge from my very core as my hands glowed dimly in the sun's light. The wolf's body began to glow like I was touching a shining star. My hands grew hotter and they burned underneath the heat, but I ignored it. The glowing light faded, and I knew my work was done. I glanced at my hands and they were red, but they always are when I heal. They will heal themselves. I glanced at the wolf, but I heard myself gasp.

Now, instead of a black wolf, I saw a naked young man lay before me. He was asleep, and I desperately wanted to wake him up to put some clothes on. Thankfully, I covered my eyes before my eyes could venture on their own. I rushed to my backpack and hastily pulled out a blanket. Without looking at him, I covered him with the blanket. I opened my eyes when I knew he was decent. I tilted my head to the side as I watched the young man sleep. He was about my age maybe older, I wasn't so sure. He had stunning features: high cheek bones, a strong, square jaw, and a little nose. His untamed, long hair was thick and wavy, and I saw a little stubble developing on his chin.

He shifted and mumbled something. I frowned. _Great, he's a talker. _I cringed because my father always talked in his sleep. I felt unwelcome shivers flow down my spine. I convinced myself that he should be alright, and I should put as much distance away from him as I can. I was looking for Shifters that shift into white tigers, not Shifters shifting into wolves. While I gathered my stuff together, I wondered where he got those wounds. I shook the thought out of my mind; it doesn't matter. He's fine now and that's what matters. I glanced at him again, and I realized he has my blanket. I shrugged my shoulders; he can keep it.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder. I glanced up and the blue sky was turning into a creamy orange. My frowned deepened. I don't have much time if I want to put distance between this young man and me. I charged forward and started running. I heard myself growl in annoyance as I felt my backpack bang uncomfortably against my shoulder. I wish I could shift; it would save time.

_Well, I could carry it in my mouth. _

My pace faltered as I thought about the idea. I shook my head and kept running forward. I know my jaws would ache after a while and my backpack isn't a light carrier. _But you're trying to put distance between you and the boy. _My subconscious argued while raising an eyebrow. _It's not like you're running ten miles. _

I stopped, and bit my bottom lip in deep thought. I gave a defeated sigh as I stripped my clothing and folded them neatly in my backpack. My tiger was eagerly ready for a nice run as I shifted. I heard my chest rumble as I felt the cool breeze skim my fur; it felt good. It has to be a quick run because a white tiger in a green coniferous forest isn't a good idea. I stick out like a sore thumb. I quickly picked up my backpack gently between my teeth and continued on.

Yes, running in animal form does save time. I let my four-legs carry me across the darkening forest. My backpack was a little heavy, but I can manage. It was dark when I came across a cave. I stopped and stared at it. I dropped my backpack on the ground to investigate the cave. I sniffed in the air for unusual scents; I didn't smell anything unusual. I crept forward to it and peeked inside. It seemed clear to me. I jogged to my backpack to grab it, and I rushed inside. Once I was inside, I set my backpack down and looked around.

The cave wasn't big, but it was big enough for two people. I sniffed in the air again; nothing abnormal. I'm only staying here for the night. I shifted and walked back to my backpack. Once I put my clothes on again, I started a small fire; a small fire that wouldn't attract any unwelcome attention, but keep me warm. I laid my sleeping bag out and pulled out my dinner: some strawberry granola bars and two bottles of water. Not much of a dinner, but it would satisfy me for now.

I was getting comfortable when I heard something peculiar outside the cave. I listened as I heard branches breaking and _laughing. _They sounded young and a little tipsy. I splashed water on the fire and let the dark cave hide me.

"Dude, what are you doing," a man slurred.

I heard someone laugh freely. "Dude, I'm going to check out that cave. You think Whiney the Pooh would share some honey with me," another man joked.

_Uh, no you are not. _I stripped quickly and shifted. I waited patiently for the stupid, drunk teens creep forward toward to my cave. I could see them from where I was hiding. They were two teenage boys, and they were carrying beer bottles in their hands. I growled as I watched them stumble and laugh mockingly at each other. I didn't like them since they were drinking; it brought horrible memories for my like. If I could, I would banish drinking.

My muscles quivered as they approached my cave. The man that suggested entering my cave tried put his index finger on his lips, but instead he touched his nose. I shook my head. His friend laughed and nodded his head frantically and motioned his friend forward. When his friend stepped inside the cave, I gave a low, warning growl.

"Dude, did you hear that? I think Whiney the Pooh needs a hug," the boy slurred as he glanced back at his friend outside.

_Men are so stupid. _I gave a louder growl as the man stepped closer. He had a stupid grin on his face. He stepped closer, and I roared loudly. My animal instincts were screaming at me to pounce on him, but I controlled them. My human instincts just wanted to scare him out of the cave.

"Dude, I don't think that is a bear," his friend from outside warned.

His friend turned toward his friend. Now's my chance to get him out of here. "Nah man, I got this." I lunged for him while I roared again. I crouched low a couple of feet away from him; my hair on my back rising. He turned toward me and screamed; it sounded high pitch, like a girl. He threw his beer bottle at me, but he missed miserably. His brown eyes widened as he scrambled outside. He fell a couple of times, and struggled to get up, but he made it out under his condition.

"Let's get out of here," he cried and ran. His friend looked confused; I inwardly groaned. _Do I have to make myself clear? _I stormed outside the cave and gave a threatening growl to his confused friend. When he saw me, he fell backwards, his eyes wide, and scrambled up to follow his friend.

I snorted as they ran off screaming their high pitch screams. I shifted back to myself while shaking my head. _Let's see if they drink again. _I put my clothes back on and sat on my sleeping blanket. I winced when my hand brushed against a sharp object. I looked and realized my hand brushed against broken glass; broken glass from the beer bottle. I shivered and it wasn't because the cool air. As my hand healed, I picked up the broken glass. I crinkled my nose when I smelled the aroma of alcohol. I placed them in a corner in the cave; I placed them as far away from me as possible. The shards of glass scratched me a couple of times, but my wounds were healing as soon as the glass touched me.

I sighed; suddenly feeling very tired. I crawled into my plush sleeping bag. I was starting to get comfortable when I heard another peculiar noise outside my cave. It sounded like something sniffing and jogging toward me. _What now? _I wanted to shriek. I reluctantly shifted out of my comfortable sleeping bag and stood at the edge of the cave. My eyes scanned the dark woods; I heard the noise again. This time I could hear its heavy breathing and fast heartbeat ring in my ears. I knew that it was an animal just by the fast stepping and low grunting. I relaxed. I knew that the animal was lurking in the woods not far from the cave. I shrugged my shoulders, as long as the animal doesn't enter my cave.

I got comfortable in my sleeping bag again, and I drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My cheeks stung and my muscles ached as I scrambled away from him, but before I could something smashed into my back. I cried out as pain seared through me. I tried desperately to get up, but I was just so tired.

"Where are you going, darling?" he asked darkly.

My bottom lip trembled as I pleaded him to stop. He kicked my side so hard that my lungs gave out; I couldn't breathe. I felt as if everything was closing on me. He kicked me again and again; each hit leaving me gasping for air. I felt as if my world was caving in. I just wanted to pass out to make the pain go away.

!

I woke up abruptly and gasped. I frantically looked around, fear coursing through my veins. I realized I had a nightmare. I gave a heavy sigh. Cool sweat trickled down my forehead, and my fast, beating heart thrummed loudly against my chest. I let my nerves and ragged breathing calm down. I took a deep breath as I looked outside. It was dawn; I should get going.

I changed my sweaty clothes into fresh, clean ones and gathered my stuff together. I started to hear the birds chirping and little animals scurry around through bushes. My stomach grumbled; my animal side desperately pleaded for meat. I rolled my eyes; so impatient. I was about to continue my journey when I saw something odd in the bushes. I froze in my tracks and stared at it. It was about forty-five feet away from me. A regular human probably wouldn't even notice, but with my sensitive eyes I noticed it right away.

It was a black wolf lurking in the bushes; watching me. A thought invaded my mind that it could be the Shifter I helped, but I banished the thought away. It couldn't be; I put a lot of distance between us. _You shouldn't have helped him then. _My subconscious scolded as she placed her hands on her hips. I shook my head while ignoring her. I convinced myself that it had to be a regular wolf since I'm on the border of Canada and the United States. So I know wild wolves roam these forests. I gazed at it a little while longer and continued my way.

I walked through the forest, and I was thankful the leaves gave me shade from the afternoon sun. My legs started crying for rest, but I pushed myself forward. I got the feeling I was being followed. I stifled a groan; now I'm just being paranoid. _So take a break then. _My subconscious suggested while raising her eyebrows. A growl escaped from my throat. My mouth turned dry at the thought of water. Well, I guess I was little thirsty, so a five minute break wouldn't do any harm.

I pulled my backpack off my shoulder and sat against the tree. My legs sang in joy as I rested, but I ignored it as I drank my water quietly. I leaned against the tree and closed my eyes. Then I heard something approaching me; it sounded too close for my like. My muscles tightened and my eyes flew open when I heard a twig snap in front of me. Suddenly, a young man came in my view; the same young man I healed. He strides toward me like he knew for a while. I sprang up and crouched while giving a low, warning growl. The young man's pace faltered in surprise when he saw my threat. His blue eyes widened the slightest bit; probably from my menacing threat. I was on the verge of shifting.

He held his hands up in a defensive gesture. He cleared his throat. "Look, I don't want to get you all ruffled up, but I just wanted to say—eh thanks for helping me yesterday. Whatever you did, it helped me tremendously."

My stomach coiled with uneasiness because I hoped he doesn't know about my ability. I don't think he does though because he passed out before I healed him. I think he passed out. But if he did know about my special ability, he would have asked by now. I felt relieved.

Silence stretched between us. I didn't respond, and I didn't relax because he was a little too close to me. If I reached out to him, I could probably touch him. He had a black shirt on that clung to his muscular body and dark denim jeans. I stifled a mocking snort because we are in the forest not a photo-shoot. His black hair was little tidier, but it was a little wavy on his forehead. His blue piercing eyes watched me cautiously. I stared at him, not sure what to do: shift, talk, or run away.

"I think you're supposed to say _you're welcome_," he implied.

I snorted; still not relaxing my crouched position. "You're welcome," I mumbled.

He glanced over my defensive posture and whispered, "You can relax. I'm not going to attack you."

"You should always have your guard up," I retorted.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Going for a hike," I lied.

He raised his eyebrows as if he didn't believe me. "You know that I'm a Shifter," he said like it was just a normal conversation.

I felt my eyes widen as I stood up straight, but I didn't relax. _How did he know? _I know I helped him; I saw his wounds heal, but that doesn't mean he should know that I automatically knew that he was a Shifter. Humans don't even know we exist.

"What's that?" I asked; testing him.

He gave a mocking laugh. "Come on, I know you're one, too."

I tilted my head to the side. _Can he read my mind? _I heard of some species of Shifter's doing that, but it seems a little odd. My species can't do that; well, that I know of. My species are more like loners, so I don't know a lot about my kind.

"How do you know that?" I asked slowly.

He gave a skeptical look like I should know. _Well, sorry pal, I don't._ "Isn't obvious?" he asked quietly.

I ignored his bemused comment and asked, "How did you find me?"

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, and he frowned. "I tracked you, of course," he said carefully.

_Tracked me? How? _I inwardly groaned as it dawned on me. Of course, he is a canine. He can track my scent; giving him my blanket probably didn't help me. I began to grow a little annoyed, considering my kind can't do that. Of course we have strength, strong sense of smell, and sharp vision, but we can't track people down. We can smell scents on people, but we can't track them.

"Ah, of course, I forgot," I said. I started playing along because I was hoping he didn't know I was a different species.

He gave a strained laugh like he was trying to figure me out. _Good luck with that, it's hard to figure me out. _"I thought you were going crazy on me," he said relieved. "Well, to make it up to you, we should go for a run. You know wolf to wolf."

My eyes widened. So he doesn't know that I'm a different species from him. Maybe I should tell him. My subconscious glared at me like _are you crazy?! _So I kept my mouth shut. I knew if there was a Shifter here, there had to be more; considering that he is a wolf, and I knew wolves stayed in packs. And I know that Shifters follow their animal instincts.

I glanced around nervously. "Sorry, I don't know you well enough to go run with you." I shrugged my shoulders apologetically.

"Well, we can get to know each other while we run," he said while grinning.

_Oh, my God, is he flirting with me? _I wanted to roll my eyes and give an exasperated sigh.

"First, I want to know your name," he said while giving a lopsided smile. Oddly, it made my heart falter a bit.

My subconscious gave a warning glare while shaking her head frantically. _Don't give him your name. End this now! _

"What's yours?" I asked, trying to avoid giving my name.

"Logan. Logan Knight," he said while he raised his hand for a handshake.

I hesitated. I never touched a guy in a long time. The only contact I had with a guy is when my father beats me. I shook the awful thought away. It's just a handshake. I grasped his hand to shake his, but I felt my hand tingle and grow warm. I never felt this before. I snatched my hand away and the foreign _things _faded away.

"Where's your pack?" I asked with an edge to my tone.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. I hope I said that right. "Somewhere," he said while twirling his hand the air. "They sent me to look for two wandering teens." My eyes widened. "Don't worry, we found them this morning," he paused and then chuckled, "They were mumbling something about seeing a white tiger." He chuckled again. "I think they had too much to drink."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement and gave a fake laugh. I better watch myself, or I'll have angry wolves sniffing me out.

"Where's yours? I never saw you before," he murmured.

_Oh, boy. I better come up with a good lie or I'm dead. _

"I don't have one. I'm new here," I whispered. "I'm more of a loner. I like it that way," I added just in case he wants to put me with one. See that wasn't a complete lie.

He raised an eyebrow while running his hand through his thick hair. He gazed at me with some weird expression I couldn't to describe, but it made my mouth run dry. _Hmm, very weird. I must be having an off day._

"Really?" he asked in disbelief. "How did you survive through your transformation then?"

I gazed at him cautiously. I don't know what happens in his species, but I went through mine all by myself. I turned seventeen last year, and then the full moon came and I had no choice but to shift. I grimaced as I remembered the pain. It was hard; I don't want to go through that again, but I survived. I was hesitant to answer.

"Where's your mate?" he asked suddenly.

_A what? _I don't think I want to find out. He sure does ask a lot of questions. I do know we do not have that in my species because I never heard of it. Whoever we find, and they have to be the same species, we pair up with them. Of course, they have to be the opposite sex.

"I don't have one," I said slowly.

He furrowed his eyebrows in complete confusion. "Then how . . ." he drifted off.

"I went through it by myself," I said simply.

He gaped at me like he has never seen me before. "That doesn't make sense," he mumbled; clearly to himself. "We have to tell the Elders this," he exclaimed. _What? Why is he acting like that's a marvelous thing he has discovered? _He reached out to grab my arm, but I shifted away from him. He gave me a bemused glance.

"I told you, I'm a loner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get going," I said sternly as I reached for my backpack. Then a question popped out of my mouth before I can stop it. "How did you get those wounds from last night?" I asked curiously.

His face hardened and his blue eyes began to look cloudy. "I don't want to talk about it," he grumbled.

_Ok, jeez, didn't mean to upset you._

I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, nice meeting you, Logan," I said hastily as I turned around and walked away.

"Wait!" he shouted.

I paused, and I started to grow irritated. "Don't follow me," I growled.

He stepped in front of me, and I didn't like that. "Since you're new, I should introduce you to Wolford or something. You can't wander these woods by yourself."

_Wolford? Ok, this species is really something: mates, something I guess amazing about me going through my transformation alone, and now Wolford. I did notice the word wolf in there. Very classy. _

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yes, I can. I have been wandering these woods for about a month now, so I think I can manage."

He gave an impatient sigh, and then he grinned. I began to grow bewildered. "You didn't tell me your name," he said and raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to tell me," he observed. He put his hands over his chest like I hurt him. I stifled a laugh.

I gave a heavy sigh. _Don't. _My subconscious warned while glaring at me. I ignored her. It's just a name my goodness sakes. As I gazed into his eyes, I noticed my stomach began to grow very warm. My heartbeat accelerated and thumped hard against my chest. _Odd, I better walk away or these things I'm feeling might get worse._

"My name is Eden," I said softly. He grinned. "Now, leave me alone," I hissed. He frowned as I stepped around him.

I charged through the forest; he started following me. I clenched my hands into fists because I was really fighting the urge to shift. He was really starting to irritate me.

I spun around, and he almost knocked into me. "Why are you following me? Just forget about me," I growled.

"I never met someone like you," he said truthfully. "You beguile me."

_Beguile. Oh, now we are using big words. Thank God, I know what it means. I charming or fascinating to you, huh? I'm about to tear you to shreds if you don't watch it._

I didn't realize he was taller than me; I had to glare up at him, and I didn't realize I was way too close to him. I don't even think my backpack could fit in the gap between us. I stepped back when my body started to grow oddly warm again.

"Leave me alone," I hissed. "Or do I have to shift to make my point?" I retorted.

Amusement started gleaming in his eyes. I frowned. "What if I can't?" He challenged. "Come on, you helped me out somehow, and I feel a lot better than I had in weeks. What did you do to me?"

_Oh boy. I know that after I heal someone their whole body systems are healed. It's like getting a boost. I better come up with something and fast!_

"Uh, it's an old, traditional medicine I learned from my parents," I lied. "Some good stuff."

He nodded his head like he was impressed. "Well, I have to make it up to you, to thank you."

I shook my head. "Don't. I'm glad you're feeling better, but I better get going."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "To where?" he asked as I turned around and started walking.

I had a feeling he was following me, and I was really getting annoyed. I was about to say _none of your business _when I stumbled across an angry grizzly bear.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I froze as my tiger inside me snarled; desperately wanting to get out, but I couldn't because I had Mr. Mutt following me. The grizzly bear noticed me and rose on its hind legs. _Oh, God. This thing is huge! It has to be the Grand Daddy of all grizzly bears. _It was about eight and a half feet tall and it's brown, thick hair was coated with water. It probably went fishing, but didn't catch anything because it seemed too rigid. I stayed very still hoping the bear would just ignore me, but it roared louder as it pawed its enormous claws in the air. I swallowed nervously; it probably smelled the animal lingering in me and saw me as a threat. It stared at me with black, beady eyes and it huffed angrily.

"Shift!" Logan hissed from behind me. Then I heard a low growl from behind me. Of course, he shifted; he was just following his instincts. With me, I am fighting them because he's here!

_Oh, trust me, I want to shift, but since you're here, I can't! _I shrieked in my mind.

My tiger inside started getting agitated as it paced restlessly within me. The bear landed on all fours and charged at me. Since, I have the gracefulness of a big cat; I dodged out of its way with no hassle. The bear didn't even notice Logan and came at me again. _Why is it noticing me, but not Logan? Is it because I am a bigger predator than him?_ I pounced over it as it jumped after me; I felt its claws graze against my clothes as I landed on the balls of my feet. I started to feel warm liquid trickle down the side of my body, but I knew it will heal. Logan was watching me with intense blue eyes; I could tell that he didn't understand why I wasn't shifting, but I can make up an excuse for later.

Logan loped to my side, but I gave a low growl, telling him to back off. It surprised me when he followed my command and took slow steps back. I knew this bear could kill him. I knew the bear was four times bigger than he was, and since I'm not shifting, he will be in danger. He gave an annoyed growl; clearly baffled, but I didn't feel like healing him again. This is my fight, not his; I would have come across this bear anyways. As I was beginning to stand, I felt the ground tremble beneath my feet. I turned sharply around and the bear was lunging for me like he was a bull and I had a red cape on. I sprinted to a tree and jumped onto one of the lower branches. I am so glad that I have tiger strength running in my blood and feline capabilities. The bear swiped its paw at me and snarled again in aggravation, but I was too far away from it. My subconscious was running around in a circle with her tongue sticking out going _Na, Na, Na, Na, you can't catch me. _

The bear growled clearly enraged as it snapped its jaws at me. I gave a smug grin as the bears black eyes glared at me; probably deciding if I was too much trouble for lunch. He gave a loud, angry huff and started walking away. _Yeah, that's right. Go sulk in your cave. _Then it finally noticed Logan standing nearby. The smug smile that I had plastered on my face had fallen into a worried frown. The bear cocked its head to side like it was sizing Logan. My heart began to hammer as my tiger inside me pawed at the ground in impatience. Logan gave a low growl as I saw black hairs rise off his back. He snarled his sharp teeth at the bear; trying to seem menacing. Logan snapped his jaws at it as the bear took a step closer. In my view, Logan seemed very intimidating. His fur was as black as a raven's wing, and his blue eyes looked eerie against his fur. He was probably very difficult to see at night. Yes, very intimidating. If I was the bear, I would back off, but the bear stared at him like he was a free meal.

I saw the bear's hind muscles quiver and I knew the bear was about to lunge for Logan. I felt my stomach churn in uncomfortable knots as a thought of Logan's helpless body in the bears clutches entered my mind. Before, I could think I felt my body spring off the branch. The bear didn't know I was airborne until the last second as I dug my fingers into the bear's thick scruff on its neck. The bear roared angrily as I clung to it with all my might. My subconscious was gawking at me like I was a stupid idiot. I felt like one since I was riding an angry bear's back. The bear thrashed and shook its body frantically like I was parasite. Then before I could prepare myself, the bear stood on its hind legs again making me fall. When it landed on all fours again, it glowered at me. My eyes widened as I scrambled away from it, but I felt something sharp tear into my back. I cried out as my back burned in unbearable pain. I felt the air blow against my open flesh and it stung like a thousand bees were stinging all over my back.

I heard another fierce snarl and I knew my body was going to shredded hamburger meat soon, but I felt no pain come. I felt my wounds heal and I gazed back behind me. I gasped as I watched Logan bite into the bear's back. The bear shook its body as blood soaked into its fur and roared out in a painful cry. Logan bit the bear's ear roughly, leaving the bear more aggravated. I felt slightly impressed that Jake was handling the bear well from the slight disadvantage of his size. Then, the bear thrashed again and Logan lost his balance, falling in front of the bears jaws. _No. _I thought. I felt my whole body vibrate and shake uncontrollably. I knew what was coming. I couldn't deny my animal instincts any longer as I felt myself shift into my tiger. I felt my tail twitch angrily against my sides as I crouched very low like I was hunting my prey. The bear was about to attack Logan; its jaws opening as saliva dropping from its mouth like it was about to have a juicy hamburger. I leaped for it and I smashed my heavy body against it. The bear stumbled to the ground as I stood protectively over Logan. I roared loudly; my voice echoing throughout the forest.

The bear regained its balance as it gave a loud snarl in return. It appraised me; probably trying to wonder if it could take me down. I heard Logan softly whimper from underneath me, but I didn't make eye-contact with his. I was staring at the bear; challenging it to come any closer. I needed the bear to stand down and go away. I was hoping that if I glared into its beady eyes, then it would leave us alone. I don't know why I want to shield Logan away from the bear, but I'll analyze it later.

Then I heard something that I never thought could be possible. _You're the white tiger. _I heard Jake say in my mind.

My low growling stopped short as I felt my chest constrict; I felt myself stop breathing. How did he do that? My subconscious widened her eyes and fainted before she could say anything. I briefly looked down at Logan like he would have the answer, but the bear took advantage of my distraction.

He lunged for me and we both tumbled to the ground. I let my confused thoughts fade away as my animal instincts took over. The bear snapped its heavy jaws at me as we rolled. Its claws dug into my back, but I ignored the pain. My chest rumbled as I bit the bear's nose. I tasted a warm, metallic taste in my mouth and the hungry predator flared from inside me. I retracted my claws and swiped at the bear's neck. I saw as little red lines starting developing and bleed profusely. I leaped off of it as it tried to bite at my chest. I crouched low again and was aware of some stinging pain in my back, but I didn't care. The bear shook its body like it was trying to shake off an invisible invader. I growled again and the bear took a step back while giving a strained growl. I felt my ears pin down as I screeched loudly.

The bear cowered finally and ran off into the thick abyss. I was probably too much trouble and painful for a meal. I was relieved, but extremely tired. My muscles ached from all the exertion of the fight. I heard a low whimper from behind me and I turned around. Logan was watching me with concerned eyes, and rushed toward me as I collapsed to the ground. My mouth felt dry as I panted and Logan shifted. I gave a weak, warning growl, but he ignored me as he examined my wounds. I wasn't worried about them, but I was worried about what my body was feeling. My stomach rumbled for food and my head ached like someone smashed a brick against my head. I was grateful that I was lying on the cool, mildew ground. I felt the summer breezes cool off my hot body.

"You need to shift back," I heard Logan say. "Staying in your—eh tiger form will probably take more energy from you."

I gave a low, annoyed growl and he shook his head; clearly impatient. I heard him grunt as he lifted me. I was about to snap my jaws at him as my mind was screaming at him to put me down, but I didn't have the strength to. My subconscious finally woke up and was enraged that Logan was carrying me.

_ Come on, you have two legs! Or four! You can walk! _My subconscious shrieked as she tapped her foot furiously on the floor.

I ignored her as I felt my lids grow heavy and my limbs felt like heavy metal. I fought to stay awake because some stranger was carrying me, but I had no choice as I fell into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When I woke up, it was dark and very warm. I stirred a little and I was wrapped up in my sleeping bag like a mummy. I didn't know what was going on or how I got here, but I needed to see where I was. I realized I was in human form, naked. I frowned; so I can't get up and look around, but I can sit up. I was about to sit up when I heard someone approach me. My body grew very still as I heard their footfall hit the ground lightly and their steady heartbeat echoing in my ears. Immediately, I shifted into my tiger form and sprang up from my sleeping bag. I heard myself snarl at my surprise visitor.

Logan was stunned as he stepped back a little from my threatening snarl. He held his hands up in a defensive gesture. "How come every time I met you, you always growl at me? I'm not going to hurt you," he said with exasperation laced into his honey voice.

I didn't trust him since I was now in my true form. I was so stupid in revealing myself to him. I could have thought of something better to approach the situation, but, of course, my instincts got the best of me. I gave a low growl in annoyance. I relaxed my crouched position so Logan can relax. My eyes scanned my surroundings and realized I was in a cave; a bigger one than my last one. I saw the exit about ten feet away from me and it was dusk. As I looked around I saw my backpack lying beside the sleeping bag I was just in. I frowned as I realized it wasn't _my _sleeping bag but his. I shivered as my nerves tickled my limbs.

Logan watched me warily as I slowly walked to my pack back with caution. My eyes were locked on his; trying to figure out what his motives were. Still watching him; I picked up my pack back between my teeth. I saw Logan's eyebrow quirk up as his blue eyes gazed into mine. I gave a short nod and loped toward the entrance of the cave.

_Wait, Eden! _I heard Logan shout in my mind.

I halted and glanced behind me. Now, Logan was a black wolf and running up behind me. I gave a loud growl to stop him, but he didn't comply with my warning. I watched as his tongue lolled off to the side of his mouth as he panted. I rolled my eyes.

_Where are you going? _He asked as he strolls over nonchalantly to my side.

_Away now because I made a stupid mistake, _I replied.

The telepathy thing was bizarre to me. I have never done this before; well, I haven't been around my kind since I was little. I mean my parents were white tigers, but they hardly shifted. So I guess I can _talk _with other Shifters through my mind. But it's seems peculiar that Logan is a different species from me and I can still _talk _to him in my tiger form. Maybe he has to be in wolf form and I in my tiger form in order for him to talk with me.

He cocked his head to the side. _What stupid mistake? _He asked curiously.

_I revealed myself to you. I don't want to make myself known to other species of Shifters. I need to focus on looking for my own. _I thought while continuing my way out of the cave.

He followed me. _Why are you looking for you own kind?_

_Because my kind is endangered. There aren't many of us left. _I gave him a _why-do-you-think-I'm-looking-for-them _look.

_Well, I should help you, _he offered.

I halted in my tracks again and gave a low growl. _No, you are not. I am thankful that you helped me with the bear and all, but I can handle this on my own. Now, go back to your pack or mate or WolfVillage or whatever. _I thought sternly as I loped away from him.

I heard his soft paws hit the dirt behind me, and I was on the verge of turning around and chewing his ass out. It was growing darker by the minute, and I'm wasting my time with this mutt.

_I don't have a mate, _he thought harshly. _And it's called Wolford. And I should help you since you helped me out with the bear._

_No, it would help me if you leave me alone. You would do me a big favor if you did._

_Is your kind always this stubborn and detached? _He wondered dryly.

_Yes, and is your kind always so persistent and annoying? _I growled.

_Look, I just want to help. _I heard him give a heavy sigh, and I gave another growl in annoyance. _What if something happens and you need someone's help? What are you going to do? Growl at them to death?_

_You have a dry sense of humor, Mutt. And it's really making me irritated. No wonder you don't have a mate or whatever because you are so annoying._

_Did you just call me Mutt? _He wondered with humor. I think I heard him growl which sounded like a chuckle.

_Yes, do you have a problem with it?_

_Well, I could call you something that could mean a cat but it wouldn't be very nice. _

That's it. I dropped my back pack and lunged for him. He yelped, but was laughing mockingly in my mind. I hated it. We rolled in the dark forest as I tried to snap my jaws at him, but he was always out of my reach. I heard myself roar when I was really getting aggravated. I leaped off of him and snarled at him. We circled each other. Me: angry and annoyed. Logan: playful and carefree.

_Eden, do you know why I want to help you? _He thought while panting and I think he was grinning at me. I glowered at him.

_Why?_

_Because I have a sister who could help you find them. Maybe, I'm not sure. But her mate is a different species from her and they are also looking for his kind._

_And that's supposed to help me by . . . _

_She can feel Shifter's emotions, but not other species. Or so she believes. She can't feel her mate's emotions, so that's how they are tracking his kind._

Hmm, another Shifter with a special gift, just like me. I looked at him warily, seeing if he knows about my extraordinary ability. He didn't seem to know as he gazed at me. Another thing that is odd is that I never heard of two different species pairing up. I would have never thought of pairing up with someone that was a different species from me, but I'm not going to anyways because of my dark past.

_Is your sister at Wolford? _

_Yes._

I gnawed about the idea. I would really like to meet her because I knew Shifters that have special abilities was rare, very rare. Maybe she could help me. My subconscious peered at me over her glasses while glaring at me. She doesn't like the idea because I will be stepping in wolf territory.

_But what will your people think of me, since I'm a different species. _I wondered out loudly.

_They accepted Daniel, so I'm sure they'll accept you. Just as long as you're not here to harm us, but I don't think you are. _

_What is Daniel?_

_He is a panther, another big cat like you. He might want to meet you though._

Another big cat, huh? I think I want to meet Daniel, too; considering that he is sort of like me. I considered this decision for a moment. My subconscious was shaking her head violently with a _don't-you-dare _look.

_I will protect you, Eden. And may I repeat myself, I won't harm you. You can trust me._

As I gazed into his blue eyes, I knew that he wouldn't harm me, but I was still cautious of him. And trusting him will take time; I trust no one except myself. Even now, I still don't trust him, but I really want to meet his sister, even her mate.

_Fine, you can take me there. We will leave tomorrow._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After Logan and I shared our little compromise, we went back to the cave. Truthfully, I was very uncomfortable at the idea of sharing the same space as him, since he makes me feel like my skin is crawling with tickling, pleasurable tingles when his deep eyes are on mine. Being around him certainly makes me aware of everything I do, like what I say or what I look like . . .

_Whoa, get that out of your head right now, Eden. Boys are nothing but trouble. _ My subconscious sneers while shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Are you hungry?" Logan asked politely while going through something that looked like a crate.

Curious, I peek around him and stare down at the crate's cotenants. The crate supplied blankets, a couple of flashlights, foods that consisted of granola bars, fruit snacks, and can foods, and some clothing for women and men. "Where did you find that?" I asked.

Without looking at me, he said casually, "In these parts of the woods, we—or my kind have lairs all around the state park. Yes, I know the term 'lairs' is very original, but each of them have materials we need and a place to rest when we need it. So the answer to your question is that this crate full of goodies was already here."

"If this cave is out in the middle of nowhere, how do you keep up the supply?" I asked, noticing that the can foods didn't expire until next year and the clothing seemed new.

He chuckled at my question that I didn't find amusing. "Do we seem _that _impotent compared to your species? Eden, we're wolves, and when we travel in our form, we're faster than we seem and cover a lot of distance."

I shivered involuntary when he said my name; I didn't like how every minute I was spending with him made these feelings for him intensify. These feelings for him were very foreign to me, and I couldn't fathom that I was actually starting to like him, even though I have only known him for a short period of time. Before I fall into his hands, I have to develop some defense mechanisms so I can keep him at arm's length.

"I still think my kind is faster," I grumbled while denying his offer of a can of peaches.

His blue eyes met mine with a strong sincerity. "Eden, you have to eat. I know that you're hungry because I haven't seen you eaten anything all day. You especially need this after what happened today with the bear."

As he stared at me, I didn't back down. I kept staring at him, knowing that there was a scowl on my face by how my face abruptly tightened. Secretly, I knew he was right, that I should eat something, but I was too stubborn to admit that he was right. I could feel my stomach rumble softly at the thought of food, pleading me to take the can that contained delicious foods. Slowly, I began noticing that his blue eyes had green specks around his iris like flashes of exotic, green fish in the clear, blue waters of the ocean. His eyes were steady and calm like water flowing down gracefully and effortlessly down the edge of the cliff. I noticed his features were shadowed from the faint light coming through the entrance of the cave, making his features look more fierce and sharper. Memorized by how the light was playing on his smooth skin, I could feel my hunger transform into something else. I began to feel my stomach churn with heat like lava languidly moving down the side of a mountain. My cheeks began to grow warm, and I noticed my body quivered slightly as if something inside of me was trying to break free.

Before the feelings grew out of control, I snatched the can and abruptly turned away from his gaze. I heard him exhale in relief as he said, "I knew you would take it. I could probably hear your stomach grumbling if I was a mile away from you," he said dramatically.

"No, you would probably just sniff me out," I mumbled as I sat down, purposely turning my back on him, and opened the can of peaches.

As I began to eat, I noticed the feelings I had blossoming inside of me diminished. It probably helped that I wasn't looking into his eyes either. I inwardly groaned; this night with him is going to harder than I thought.

Of course Logan had to stroll over and sit down right in front of me while I devoured the peaches like a stray cat scarfing down wet food. The sweetness of the peaches and the softness exploded in my mouth and I have never thought peaches have ever tasted so exquisite before.

Even though it was night and it was dark, I could see that Logan quirked an eyebrow at my poor manners while a smile tugged at the corners of his sculpted lips. _Did I really just say sculpted lips? Oh good Lord, help me._

"My point proven," he mused. "Have you actually eaten something that involved more than a hundred calories?"

"Why do you care? I've been here for months and I haven't died yet. Yes, I just walk down the way to the supermarket to snatch some food," I remarked sarcastically. "So the answer to _your _question would be no."

"Don't you hunt?" he asked, ignoring my tirade.

"Haven't you noticed that I'm a tiger that is white? And white doesn't really blend with green and browns. It's hard to catch prey out here. I could be shining a flashlight on myself in front of my prey and it wouldn't do any better than my feeble attempts," I said dryly.

"Well, then it's decided."

"What's _decided_?"

"Before we leave tomorrow to go to Wolford, we'll go hunting and—"

"Whoa, _we?_"

"Yes, you know, that means you and me like together," he said coolly.

"I know what _we _means, moron," I snarled while finally glaring into his blue eyes, not caring that the feelings inside of me started to flutter against my chest. "If you haven't noticed, I'm a big cat and big cats we like to hunt alone—"

"Well, I guess that's going out the window soon if you want to survive out here," he interrupted.

"But I like my peaches," I protested without humor.

A grin cracked on his face, showing a blinding perfect set of white teeth. _Why does everything about him have to be so perfect? _

"Eden," he said softly and I cursed at myself when shivers shot up my spine. "You're going have to hunt because the animal inside of you will start to grow restless. Also, you're going to have to eat something that isn't just a can of peaches. Will it hurt that much if I help you on your hunt?"

"Yes, my pride will be, and my pride is the only thing I have," I replied, my voice sharp as an edge of a knife.

Logan chuckled at my witty remark, but simply said, "So it's settled, we'll go hunting before we leave to Wolford. And don't worry," he smirked. "I'm a very talented hunter, so you'll have food in no time."

"Yeah me," I said with false enthusiasm.

While eating the last peach and finding that there was no more, I grew disappointed. My stomach still demanded food. I was thinking about getting more, but I didn't want to give Logan the satisfaction.

"Now if you don't mind, I'm tired and I want to go to sleep," I said, surprised that I meant it.

"I'm not holding you back. Sleeping bags . . ."

"I have my own thank you very much," I snapped while storming over to my back pack.

I wasn't usually this cruel to people, but with people like Logan, who were death traps for the heart, I had to keep them at bay or I will drown. I had a feeling that his eyes were on me, but I brushed it off.

Once I plopped down in my sleeping back with a loud thud, I turned my back away from Logan again and tried to calm my erratic breathing and nerves. I noticed that it was extremely dark, but my eyes adjusted quickly. I could hear the faint melodies of chirping crickets and the faint cries of wild animals, but that wasn't all I heard. I could hear Logan's breathing as if he were lying beside me and hear his heart pound calmly like the soothing rhythms of a drum. Hearing Logan as if he were next to me shockingly helped me drift off to sleep.

!

"Stop! _Please_, just stop," I begged while circling my arms around my abdomen to control the searing pain.

A wicked, throaty chuckle echoed in the distance. "But don't you know that you defied me? You hid my whisky from me. I'll make sure to beat it out of ya. Now, if you tell me where they are, I will stop."

"I can't. It's for your own good," I wailed, wishing my father wasn't so foolishly blinded by his addiction, wishing that he would see that he was beating someone that loved him.

"Then, I guess I'm not finished then," he said darkly while I felt another sharp pain tear viciously through my thigh like teeth. I cried out again, but grateful that I couldn't see his face. Without warning, I felt another sharp pain rip through my chest, making me gasp and choke on endless sobs.

"Eden! Wake up! Eden!" I heard someone calling, but it sounded very far away.

I screamed to the voice, knowing that I recognized it, but couldn't put it to a face. My father disappeared, but the aching, dull pain didn't fade along with him. As I tried to gather myself, I sobbed as my heart pounded weakly underneath my chest, breaking slowly like ice cracking. I began to feel cold as if ice was slowly consuming me. I heard the beautiful voice again in the darkness calling my name. I didn't know who it was, but I just knew that whoever it was could save me from this scorching, aching pain. I knew that my heart was being ripped apart again, and I cried out to the velvety voice, needing nourishment like a wilting plant needing water.

"Please, don't leave me! Please don't!" I called desperately to it.

"Eden, wake up!" I heard it, and I finally put the voice to a face. It was Logan's voice in my nightmare, him calling my name. Instead of coiling away from him, I called out louder to him, wanting him to remove this aching, dull ache growing inside of me.

"Logan!"

I felt someone restrict my limbs from moving and, in fear, I thrashed wildly. I wanted to reach Logan, I wanted him to pull me away from the darkness but someone was holding me.

"No! Let me go! Logan!"

"Eden, you're dreaming," I heard Logan's voice whisper in my ear, his voice driving out the fear that invaded my body.

Slowly, I could feel my face pressed into his smooth chest, could feel his heart thrum wildly against my cheek, could smell his scent of rain envelop me, could hear his harsh breathing against my ear, and I could feel his hard muscles constrict as he held me in his arms.

If it wasn't for my frantic state, I would have pushed him away from me, but, instead, I gripped his body closer to mine, needing the reassurance, needing the comfort. I will deal with the consequences of this later when my mind isn't so restless.

I buried my face into his chest like a child would do when scared. "It felt so real," I whispered, now aware of cold tears streaming down my flushed cheeks.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked while I felt his arms tighten around me; they felt safe and reliable like a strong, iron barrier surrounding me. Aware that I was fully awake, he wiped the tears away from my face and pulled me closer to him.

I shook my head frantically in denial. "No," I said as my voice wavered. "It isn't worth it."

"It might help—"

"No," I said a little more fiercely, "I don't want to remember it. I just want to forget about it."

"Ok, ok," Logan said while I felt his head lay atop of mine.

I closed my eyes dreamily as the aching pain inside my chest dulled and my heart calmed to a steady beat. Logan held me for a while with his arms wrapped firmly around me as his head lay on top of mine. I began to drift off to sleep again, but I felt more safe and relaxed in that moment than I have in a months. I was surprised that Logan's simple touch soothed me and comforted me. I didn't want this feeling to go away.

_Don't leave me. _I thought as warmth carried me into deep sleep once more, but I knew nightmares wouldn't await me this time.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

When I woke the next morning, I didn't dare open my eyes. I was very aware of how languid my limbs felt and the warmth surrounding me was heaven. I have never thought that sleeping in woods would bring this feeling—and since I've been out here, I have never felt this good. I wouldn't mind sleeping in caves more often if it brought this pleasurable feeling . . .

I felt movement beside me. Something tightened around my hips, and a very hot exhale of breath blew against my forehead—making me shiver and rigid.

_Oh, shit._

Like someone dumped ice-cold water on me, I immediately opened my eyes, becoming very sensitive to everything touching me. At first, all I saw was a bare, sculpted chest and I thought that I was still dreaming, but my senses collided with the scent of rain and I began to grow dreary. _Please don't be who I think it is._ My eyes drifted up, noticing the hard coil of muscles along the shoulder line and neck, and saw where the source of warmth was coming from. Logan was asleep, holding me . . . with his arms wrapped around me.

_OH. MY. GOD! He slept with me. The whole damn night and I enjoyed it! Oh hell no!_

I heard a nasty growl escape from my throat as I sprang from the sleeping bag, forming a crouch position. Logan's eyes flew open and he sat up, noticing my defensive posture. Once I gave another growl, his expression went from concern to caution. When my eyes appraised his bare chest, I quickly looked away and I cursed at myself when I realized that my body was pressed against _that. _Only ten seconds passed by when I pounced on him, my rage boiling over. We rolled on the cool floor and my hands slipped over his arms in order to get a better grip on him. However, his arms were nothing but muscle, and I hated that a tiny part of me liked the feel of them. _Damn it, Eden! Clear your head!_

Finally, with an angry cry, I pinned him underneath me. He probably wasn't even trying and my body was tiny compared to his, but I didn't care. I was at the advantage and I was—oh so pissed. Slow, I began to realize that my legs were tangled with his and his skin was brushing against mine as he wriggled beneath me. I noticed that my skin began to tingle where my skin met his and my cheeks flushed when I saw that he only had boxers on—ANYHOW I brushed it aside and glared into his eyes.

"So you like to play rough in the morning? Not really my thing, but I don't mind trying," he said, but his voice was husky and thick with sleep—another mechanism that didn't help my concentration.

"Oh shut up! Are you like insane? Why in the hell were you sleeping with me? You know that isn't a very good idea if you want to develop someone's trust . . ."

"Whoa," Logan interrupted, "before you label me as a mentally insane person, let me just say that you had a nightmare that left you crying in your sleep and when I soothed you back to sleep you wouldn't let me go."

_What? It wasn't a dream . . . it was real? Oh. Dear Lord, help me._

_ "_What?" I whispered. I was so horrified that I was only capable of saying one word at this point.

He chuckled as his blue eyes twinkled with some hidden amusement. "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone has nightmares."

_That's not what I'm concerned about, moron. A guy slept with me and saw me at my most vulnerable state, but the horrific part is that you slept with me._

I rolled off of him as he said, "However, I am curious what your dream was about. You were screaming and crying as if someone was . . . murdering you or something."

Even though his comment brought back some memories of my father, I planted my face into my hands. I was devastated, I was distressed, and I was petrified. It felt as if my lungs were being squeezed to the point where it felt like I couldn't breathe. No one has ever comforted me except my mother, but no one else—ever. Images of last night came pouring into my mind: the dream, me screaming, Logan comforting me, and me crying out for him. _Oh no. _I inwardly groaned and wished that I could just disappear.

"Hey, Eden," Logan muttered as I heard him move until he was kneeling in front of me.

I just shook my head, but I took a deep breath in attempt to restore oxygen to my lungs and looked up at him. His blue eyes regarded me before they began questioning me. Since his chest was bare, my eyes wandered over him instead of looking into his eyes. Even though I secretly admired his toned muscles around his chest, abdomen, and hips—especially the hip bones peeking over the boxers—I couldn't help but notice huge, white scars along his torso and chest. The scars had a tint of silver and trailed from his chest down to his hip in a cluttered, disorderly fashion. As I stared at them, I could make out circular rings that contained silvery dots—I felt my eyes widen when I realized that these marks weren't birthmarks but puncture wounds from bites. My stomach churned uncomfortably when I saw that his chest and torso were covered with countless bite wounds.

"Where did you get these?" I whispered as I absently reached out and touched a scar on his torso. When my fingers touched his skin, his skin trembled and he took a sharp intake of breath. My eyes met his, waiting for his answer.

"It's nothing," he said, but his eyes darkened like a river reflecting a vicious thunderstorm and his mouth tightened to a thin line. Once I saw his body tense, I realized that those bite wounds bothered him. Something happened—_but why should I care? Why am I questioning him? _I thought but my curiosity was overrunning my thoughts.

"That day when I met you and I _helped_, you were severely injured. You never told me what happened."

"It doesn't matter. What's done is done," he growled and gently brushed my hand away from his scars.

He shifted his eyes and stared at the ground, and I noticed that his features were becoming taut with a hidden rage. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about it, but as my eyes surveyed his wounds I felt a sharp pang in my stomach as if someone sliced my insides with a sharp razor blade. It dawned on me that the teeth marks were as big as teeth from a canine.

"Did a Shifter attack you?"

"No, not exactly," was all he said.

Silence stretched on between us when I was waiting for him to continue, but his explanation never came.

"You won't tell me what happened will you?"

When I said that, his eyes snapped up to mine and his blue eyes were becoming fiercely intense as they bored into mine. It was like staring at a volcano that was about to explode. The blue in his eyes held no sign of his gentleness or playfulness, but they conveyed that an internal struggle was occurring. From what I can tell from his expression, he was remembering something that he evidently wanted to forget because I have that same expression when I remember my father. Oddly, I had the urge to reach out and comfort him, to hold him and calm him by running my fingers through his glossy hair. Of course I shook the feeling away because I was apparently not in my right mind. Still, those scars were nagging at me and I wanted to know what caused him this hidden fury.

As I stared into his eyes, something in my eyes must have eased his hidden rage because he slowly relaxed as his eyes softened. What surprised me was that his eyes turned solemn.

"You really want to know? You know that phrase 'curiosity killed the cat' might imply to you," he mused with a smirk.

I ignored his ridiculous comment as I replied, "Well, honestly, I want to know how you received those scars." _Even though I shouldn't care. _

He briefly closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, but what caught me off guard was when he turned around until his back was facing me. I felt that sharp pang again as I saw more silvery scars trailing along the muscles of his back.

"Oh my god," I breathed out as my eyes wandered over his back.

"Don't look at them. Do you see the tattoo on my left shoulder?"

Once I looked, the tattoo seemed to stand out among the scars. The black ink shaped symbols that I have never seen before—they were alien but they looked graceful and beautiful among his golden skin.

"What does it mean?"

He turned around to face me once more and his blue eyes hammered with me with dozens of emotions, but what took me aback was pain.

"Every male in my species gets a tattoo when he is ready to declare his mate. The symbols represent her name, written in the ancient language of our pack. This tattoo represents mine. She didn't die," he added when I gasped out loud. "Remember when you told me that you went through your first transformation all by yourself?" When I nodded he continued, "Females in my species don't go through the first transformation alone. It kills them if they are not accompanied by someone—usually their mate accompanies them. That's why I was so intrigued about what you said. Anyway, my mate's name was Tessa and I declared her as mine two weeks before her transformation. She accepted and I thought I was the happiest man alive.

"On the night of her transformation, it was almost time for her transform when another male Shifter challenged me. He wasn't a Guardian like I was, but he was known to follow Tessa around like a sick dog. I didn't realize that he too wanted her as his mate. In my species, when a male challenges another to claim a female as their mate, the two males fight to the death. Tessa had the right to tell him to go away—that I was her chosen mate, but she didn't. She just stared at him and we had no choice but to fight."

_Oh my god, fight to the death? What kind of species has these sick rituals? My kind is not so complex or savage. _

"Unfortunately, the bastard was more of a skillful fighter than I was, and he bit me repeatedly that it left me drained and exhausted but I never gave up. I was aware that Tessa's transformation was about to take place and I heard her screaming at us to stop, but then instead of calling my name—she called his . . . claiming him as her mate and I had no choice but to leave her with _him._ The scars that you see were mostly from him and you should know that when Shifters bite one another they leave scars like these. When you found me, I was at my peak of exhaustion. Most of them were healed but the brutal ones weren't and I lost a lot of blood. I lost her to him and I have the scars to prove it."

When he finished, his fists were balled up and his face was tightened into a hard grimace as his body quivered. I knew he didn't know that I healed him, that I had powers beyond his. I probably could make scars vanish because scars are just damaged tissue that healed over. He should have frightened me because he looked like he wanted to hit or tear something up into shreds. His look reminded of how my father would look at times, but I wasn't afraid of Logan. I felt something else for him instead of fear, but I couldn't pinpoint the emotion I was feeling specifically. For a split second, I wanted to take his memories away. To make those awful scars vanish like it never happened because his pain and anger somehow affected me as well.

I reached out to him and laid my hand atop of his to give him comfort, and his eyes looked up to mine. In that moment, something spurred between us that was beyond logic. I felt it before, but never this intense. I felt as if the blue in the depth of his eyes would consume me, not to suffocate me but to embrace me. The air between us began to thicken and electrify to the point where it was threatening to suffocate me until I closed the distance between us. My hands began to tremble because I wanted to reach out and pull him to me, but I was immobile, like I was under a magician's spell. As our eyes were locked on each other, I could hear his heartbeat speed up and his breathing becoming shallower. Also, his pupil dilated until it completely consumed the blue within his eyes. The expression on his face made my stomach pool with heat and made the hairs rise on my arms. I could hear my heart thrum wildly in my ears as I watched him part his lips slightly. Whatever was happening between us was something I have never felt before—well I never let any male reach within a foot of my personal space. Logan's face was only like six inches away from mine—so he was already breaking my boundaries. However, what bemused me was that I wanted him _closer _to me. Also, his lips looked more appealing to me at this moment.

With our hammering heartbeats and shallow breathing, I heard another sound. The sounds were coming from a distance but I could hear their hoofs pound the ground as they ran by the cave. I had the strength to break eye-contact from Logan's as I listened more intently to the sounds. Also, the intense feeling I was feeling for Logan honestly frightened me and I didn't know how to handle it—and I thought about kissing him which was strictly off my list for interacting with males because of what my father did to me. He broke me to the point where I couldn't trust other people, and I was afraid of getting hurt again.

I pushed aside my unsettling emotions and concentrated on the sounds coming from the animals. Once I heard their frantic heartbeats and I could faintly smell their earthy scent, my stomach growled at the sound of deer passing by our cave.

Logan lightly chuckled to himself. "I can see that you are hungry. As promised, I will help you on your hunt."

I thought that I could hear a smile in his voice and that he was still watching me with that same, all-consuming expression, but I brushed it aside.


End file.
